Sail rigging



Aug. 6, 1963 F. c. SCHWANEKE ETAL 3,099,976

SAIL RIGGING o4, O SK 1 l.. o \l o t a No, 8 TNF. nlv f2 o MAE h o oo.,O\` VWH o o mH 4 o o 8 CJ e a o O S 5 s am S O n., U 3 5 D 5 .o EM mil. Se FE 1.1i( ...d o m4 8 a 9 nl 5 2 7 7 4 2 .s/WI 4 5 m mil 5 M l B\l 3 .MO 2\.| l 8 o, 5./ 4M I o 3 :o 5 r r a 0 M 5 o 8 6 n 9 G O o 1.rl-Il 5 9 O 2 w 3 6 6 1 o 0 m81 P w m o t, .u e A `O o K 6 .nuv o 8 o l.i l o .l o F ad ug- 6, 1963 F. c. scHwANEKE ETAL 3,099,976

SAL RIGGING 3 Sheets-Shes?I 2 Filed April 20, 1960 INVENTORS: FRED c.SCHWANEKE DMUND ./f EEHA Aug. 6, 1963 F. c. SCHWANEKE ETAL 3,099,976

SAIL RIGGING Filed April 20. 1960 3 SheecS--Sheei'I 5 DDOxIm homINVENToRs: FRED C. SCHWANEKE EDMUND J. HEEH ATT'Y FIG. 5 is afragmentary cut-away view in side elevation illustrating the adjustmentsof this invention;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation View showing the wind-up drum for the lateraladjustment;

IFlG. 7 is a plan View similar to FIG. 4 showing a simplified controlembodiment for fore and aft rigging of the mast separately or fortilting 4the mast laterally in operation with the embodiment shown inFIG. 3 for tilting the mast laterally; and

FIG. 8 is an yenlarged view of a portion of FIG. 7.

Referring now particularly to the drawings, the sloop rigged sailingboat indicated generally by the numeral 1 has Ian upright mast 2, adepending weighted keel member 3 and a deck 4. The mast 2 rests on thedeck 4 on a yball and socket fitting 7 and held erect by fore and aftshrouds 10 and 11 on both sides and fore and aft stays and 16respectively. The mast supporting fitting in turn is braced from thebottom of the hull 9 by a strut 5 at the chain plates 6 which shape `theboat amidship.

The ball and socket fitting provides a pivotal mounting for positioningthe butt of the mast adjustably fore and aft of the boat when riggingand tuning the sails initially. The details of construction of the lballand socket fitting are not shown because they are conventional and onceset merely serves as a fixed pivot point for the bottom of the mast andallows the top of the mast 2 to be posit-ioned in an infinite number ofpositions within the range of the rigging adustment mechanism hereinexplained. The optimum position [of all parts can be determined when theboat is tuned and this will be assumed to be the condition of the boatfor purposes of describing the invention and its operation.

Referring now speciiically -to FIGS. 2 and 3, a plurality of sheaves 8are rotatably mounted to the chain plates 6 below and next to thegunwales 9g. The shrouds 10 and 11 are secured to the upper portion ofmast 2 atv one end at vertically spaced points as shown in FIG. 2including a spreader member 14 and pass down through the openings 12 and13 in the deck 4. Below the deck 4, the shroud members 10 and V11 passaround the sheaves 8 and can be, if desired, secured directly to a wormdrive adjustment as shown in FIGS. 4 or 7, or as show-n in FIG. 3 theymay be tied together through a hydraulically driven piston arrangementwhich will be further described later, it -being appreciated that forsimplicity of description only one shroud on each side of rthe boat needbe mentioned except where otherwise indicated.

A-s mentioned, the mast is rigged fore and'aft by staysV 15 and 16,respectively, same being secured -to the uppermost portion of the mast'and passing downwardly through the deck 4. 'Ihe fore stay 15 may be oneor 'two in number and are sometimes called jib stays after passingthrough the deck 4, attaches to an equalizer adjustment linkage 17.Extending from the jib adjustment linkage 17 is a stay haul v18 whichpasses around the sheave members 20 which are secured Ito the bottom ofthe hull 9. The stay haul 18 extends to the center port-ion of thesailing vessel and terminates ron a cam surface adjustment mechanismwherein a tightening of the stay haul 18 draws the top of the mastforwardly, and, a slackenin-g of the stay haul permits the mast -to moveaft.

A jib down haul (FIG. 5) is shown at 21 and extends downwardly from thetack clew 21a through the deck 4. Below the deck 4 the down haul 21passes around a pulley 22 which is secured to the equalizing linkage 17and terminates on a tensioning mechanism 23 which .is used each time ajib is set.

The jib down haul mechanism 23 comprises a worm 23w threaded through afemale threaded member 23s of a threaded drive joint which permits theworm to follow the shave 22 up and down. The worm is operated by a crankhandle member 33. It is seen that upon actuation of the adjustment 24,that the -fore stay and linkage |17 will be re-positioned by the actionof the stay haul 18.

Also, it will be seen tha-t equalization of tension between the forestayand the jib down haul is accomplished by the equalization linkage 17.Thus, with the turning of the handle or crank 33' the top of the mast 2is moved fore or att without varying the proportional tensions on thestays unless desired and that the worm 23w and nut 23s is a self lockingarrangement against self-rotation when the handle 3-3 Iis released, itbeing appreciated that the jib down haul mechanism as shown in FIG. 5permits the equalizing linkage l17 to move up and down Yabout thesupport on the nut 23s of the worm 23w.

'Ihe back stay v16 .in like manner, passes downwardly through the deck 4at a point 20' and passes around a plurality of sheaves '19, some ofwhich are not shown in the drawings, and terminates on a camadjustment-mechanism 25 which will now be described.

The fore `and aft adjustment 24 of the mast is best seen in FIGS. 4, 5and 7, and includes a dual cam arm lever 25 pivoting about a point l26.A short radius cam 25a has the ends of the shrouds 210 vand 11 securedthereto Ithrough an equalizer 10c. A wider radius cam 27 has the forestay haul 18 attached thereto and a much wider radius cam 28 has theback stay attached thereto. Also shown in FIG. 7 are the running backstays 30s which are controlled by releasable Winches 30W when comingabout and these stays pass through blocks 30b which are secured -to backstay hauls 30h which are fastened to a cam 30e on the lever 25.

Secured to the cam arm lever 25.at 29, is a threaded actuating worm 30which extends toward the rear of the boat where it receives a nut orrunner means 31 mounted in a suitable header. A handle or crank member32 aotuates the worm and by it the lever 25.

By way of explaining the various cam radii it is readily seen that theangles between the rigging members and the deck are dilferent. The anglemade Iby the back stay 16 with the deck 4 is more acute than the anglemade by the `running back stay 30s and the shroud angle is greater yet.The fore stay 15 angle with the deck 4 is also different. yFurthermorethe rigging members are of dilferent lengths. Therefore, it becomesnecessary, if a balanced tension is to be maintained lin the fore andaft rigging elements, that a different land proportioned cam radius andcontour be supplied for the adjustment mechanism. Illustrated in FIG. 4,the movement lof the dual cam arm lever 25, by means of the crank 32 andthrough theaction of the cam surfaces 27 and 28, will either positionthe uppermost portion of the mast fore or aft with the mast pivoting inthe pivotal mounting 7 depending on what direction the handle 32 isrotated and the tensions on the rigging members will remain constant.

Moreover, it wilfl be observed that thereis no load on fthe lever 25 andpivot 26 except the work load performed by the sail under wind pressure.Un-der high wind pressure the lever wants to lgo in the direction itshould to move the mast forward so there is little load ou the handle 32for this purpose, and when the mast is to be moved aft, fthe windpressure is generally light. Thus, the adjustment effort provided isiight :under most conditions. Even runder heavy Wind on a lbeat, the'worm is strong enough to move mast easily into the fvvmd.

Referring now specifically to FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, two forms of lateraladjustment of the mast 2 are shown as made through a lateral adjustmentmechanism supported by the hull 9. In LFIGS. 4 and 5 it is mountedl onthe lever 25.

'Ilhis comprises in FIG. 4, Winches 25w and 25x having worm wheels 25:disposed in load balancing-engagement with a worm shaft 33a propelled.by a handle 35. The Winches of course turn oppositely .but the shrouds11 are wrapped around the winch 25W in one direction and the runningIback stay hauls 30s are wrapped around the winch 25x in the oppositedirection.l The axis of rotation of the respective Winches correspondsto the radii mentioned in connection with FIG. 7 and their respectivediameters are determined to -follow lateral movement of the mast withoutchanging tensions during the change.

Referring now to FIG. 3 a hydraulic pump 36 operating a piston 37 in acylinder 38 is employed. The mechanism 34 is mounted on a cross bracket39 bracing the chain plates 6 at the sheaves 8.

The mechanism 34 comprises in addition to the piston and cylinder, ltwopiston rods 40 extending outwardly in sealed relationship throughopposite cylinder heads 41. rThe two rods move as a unit and theiroutermost ends are secured to the ends of the shrouds and 11 so that asthe piston 37 is moved one way or the other hydraulically the shroudsshift the top of the mast 2 in the opposite direction.

The piston is powered through a hand pump 42 also having a (double endedpiston 43 so that two people can operate it, one pushing and one pullingon the power stroke it necessary. 'The output ott the pump is valvedthrough a selector valve 44 to deliver hydraulic fluid under pressure toone side of the piston 37 or the other. Thus, by operation of the pump,the shrouds and the mast can be moved either to port -or starboard,which relationship is primarily useful in light weather since the mastmust be moved towards the wind, if, on a particular tack at the time,the change is desired, otherwise the mast can be moved with the wind.

The two ends of the cylinder are connected by a bypass 4S which includesan adjustable bleed valve 46. Whenever it is decided by the skipper thathe will bring the boat about, in light -weather the bleed valve 46 isopened just before coming about and the wind pressure moves fthe mastt-o the desired side of the boat by the iiuid being bled to the -otherside of the piston 37 as the piston moves with the mast. The valve 46 isclosed and the boat is brought about, with the mast then rigged towardsthe Windward side of the boat.

At this time it might be well to indicate that in heavy weather the mastis moved to leeward and the valve can be lett open enough to permit thewind pressure to accomplish this with the cylinder 38 then serving as adash pot controlled by the valve as the boat tacks.

Both relationships involve the desire to heel the boat to but not beyondits best running or racing line.

Means is provided -for positively bringing the mast back to center orupright position as well limiting the lateral movement thereof, and,although the full effort for this could be borne by the hydraulic pump,nevertheless in order to be sate in event the hydraulic system .failedor it was only 'desirable to use it as a dash pot system, two stopmembers 50 are slidably mounted on the cross brace 39 and .oppositelythreaded at 51 to receive a shaft 52 threaded at one end with a righthand helix and at the other end With a left hand helix as at 53. Theshaft is rotated by the worm wheel 35]; as driven from the worm shaiit35a. Thus, a double worm reduction drive assures power enough to rightthe mast under all conditions and the stops 50, threads 53 and shaft 52operate as a turn'buckle to drive the stops towards or away from eachother.

The ends of the shrouds, or the piston rods, if desired, are providedwith stops 51d and these stops cooperate with the adjustable stops 50 tolimit the lateral movement of the mast equally on opposite sides ofcenter, these limits being variable as adjusted by the worm drive. Fullmovement ofthe stops 50 towards each other brings the stops 51a and thepiston 37 to center position and holds the mast in its center positionuntil they are again moved outwardly. Moreover, with the valve 46closed, the mast can still be held thereby in center position While thestops S0 are separated and made ready and then when the valve isreleased, the mast will move outwardly under wind pressure to right t-heboat to more nearly its racing line heel.

Although there is little change in the eiective length of the shroudswith fore and aft movement of the mast, it will be appreciated thatshortening andlengthening the strouds may be accomplished between one orboth yof the sheaves y8 and stops 50 by tightener pulleys such as shownat 60 and these are carried by levers 61 couneoted by shroud hauls 62fastened to the lever 2S as shown in FIG. 7 according to the principlesof diierent radii and cams as already described. This prevents the stops50 from relieving the balancing load exerted by the shrouds von thelever 25.

'In this connection, although the running back stay haul 30h could beconnected to the piston 37 through same motion proportioning means suchas a lever, it is not necessary to do this since the running back staysare set each time the boat is brought about.

-By the rtwo adjustments, the lateral mast adjustment and thelongitudinal mast adjustment, it is possible to position the mast in aninnite number of attitudes relative to the deck surface 4. Thus, itbecomes evident that upon a change of the wind in velocity or indirection, it is quite easy to take immediate corrective measures tokeep the boat in trim by re-positioning the pressure center of the saidto trim anew andmaintain the maximum work elort of the sails and theheeling of the hull to its racing line. As is easily understood thatmast is thus moved 'forward to counteract any tendencies of the boat tolui in heavy 'wind and is moved aft to hold the boat into the wind inlight winds. The adjustments are made by the skipper until the boat willhold its course without any helm and the racing line is afttained forthe hull.

Likewise, itis quite obvious that the mast may be tilted to thestarboard or the port, depending upon the direction of the wind, toestablish the hull as near to its racing line as possible, whereby thegunwales or other attachments oh the vessel vwill not come into contactwith the w-ater, thus causing `an increased friction and hence reducingthe speed of the vessel.

It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art how the presen-tinvention Iprovides Ian improved and useful adjustable rigging ttorshifting the mast and yattains the objects stated. I-t will also beIseen how it is adaptable for use on any `size sailing vessel includingmulti-masted boats with the masts interlocked for joint operation, landhow various and further lchanges can be made without departing from thespirit `of the invention, the scope of Which is commensurate with theappended claims.

We claim:

l. In a sailboat having an upright mast movable -fore and af-t at itstop, the combination of a back stay, la jib stay and a jib down haul,strain equalizing means between said jib stay and jib down haul, means-for tightening the jib down haul, `and means interconnecting lthe backstay and strain equalizing means including a lever transmitting thestrain on the back stay to Ithe equalizing means and means connected tothe lever for moving the lever to shift the top of ,the mast fore and-aft through concurrent movement of the stays by the lever.

2. The invention as set forth in claim l wherein the strain equalizingmeans and the back stay -are connected at radially spaced points on thelever with the back stay connection of lthe `greater radius.

3. The combination called for in claim 1 including shrouds passingthrough the deck ait the bottom of the mast, and means connecting saidshrouds to said lever near lthe fulcrum of the lever for movement in thesame direction as the back stay.

4. A rigging for sailboats comprising a mast, fore and aft stays for themast and shrouds for the mast, `adjustment means interconnecting thefore and aft stays of the rigging land means interconnecting the shroudrigging, said adjustment means being pivotally mounted and havinglmultiple cams of different radii engaging said stays and shrouds in`supported relationship .to maintain constant 7 resting tensionsthereon, said Afore stay rigging pulling against the att stay :andshroud rigging through said adjustment means, said cams of diierentradii being s constructed and arranged that the pulls of the stays andshrouds thereon substantially balance out in said adjusting means.

5. A sailboat having a keel and a sail carrying mast eX- tendingupwardly from the deck (surface comprising, means pivotally mounting the:bottom of the mast on the sailboat, rigging means secured to the upperportion of the mast including Ia .fore stay, back stay and lateralshrouds, irst adjustment means secured to said rigging means forangularly adjusting the mast in a longitudinal direction relative to theboat to change-the pressure center of the sail with respect tothe keel,and second adjustment means secured to the shrouds to langularly adjustthe mast in a lateral direction relative to the boat to change theeffective sail area of the sail exposed to the wind.

6. The invention las set forth in claim wherein the sailboat has a deckland lthe pivotal mounting means for the mast is adjustably movable foreand aft .on the deck.

7. Mast rigging `for sailboats comprising fore and aft rigging, firstadjustment means supported on the boat and interconnecting the fore andaft rigging, port and starboard rigging, second adjustment meanssupported on the boat :and interconnecting the port and starboardrigging,

said first adjustment means having multiple cam surfaces maintainingconstant ltensionon 4the fore and aft rigging, and said secondadjustment means including a single contoured surface maintainingconstant, balanced Itension between the port and star-board rigging,means for operating said two adjusting means concurrently to change therelative position of the pressure center `of the sail with respect tothe boat.

8. The invention as set forth in claim 7 wherein said iirstadjustingmeans includes -a pivoted arm member and the multiple cam surfacesthereon `are of diiferent contour.

9. The invention as set forth in claim 7 wherein said iirst adjustingmeans includes a pivoted larm member supporting-saidmultiple camsurfaces-of different con-tours and said ysecond adjusting meansincludes `a contoured spool on said pivoted arm member.

10. The invention as set forth in claim 7 wherein the support lof bothadjusting means are on a common axis and the surfaces of both of saidadjustment means are disposed on the same side of said ,axis with all ofthe rigging aft them-ast opposing all the rigging afore the mast tomaintain constant tension in the rigging means.

11. A `sailboat having ,a pivotal mast extending in an upward directionand secured byadjustable rigging comprising, pivotal mounting means forthe mast, first -adjustment means 'secured to the rigging for angularlypositioning the mast in a longitudinal `direction relative to the boat,hydraulic adjustment means secured to the rigging yfor, angularlypositioning the mastin a lateral direction relative to the boat, andthird adjustment means coordinated With said hydraulic adjustment rmeansfor limiting lateral movement of the mast and thereby controlthc changeof the center of pressure of the sail relative tothe boat.

l2. The invention as set forth in. claim 11 wherein said pivotalmounting means is adjustable for moving the bottom. of the mast fioreand aft.

13. The invention .as set forthfin claim` 11 wherein said firstadjustment means includes la pivotal arm member having a pair `ofcontoured cams of dilerent radii.

14. The inventionset lforth inclaim 11 wherein-said hydraulic:adjustment means includes a piston and a bleed ualve Aby-passcontrolling .the rate of movement of the vpiston for controlling therate of lateral adjustment of the mast.

l5. The invention as set forth in claim 11 whereby said hydraulicadjustment means includes Ian idler member coordinating said lirstadjustment means therewith.

16. The invention set forth in claim 1l wherein said first and hydraulicadjustment means interconnect portions of said rigging means Iandmaintain-constant tension in the whole of the rigging means.

17. The invention according to cla-im 5 wherein-said iirst adjustmentmeans is a pair of contoured cams of diffe-rent radii secured toapivotal army member, and said second adjustment means is a winch carriedon said pivotal arm member.

18. The inventionas set forth in claim 11 wherein said first adjustmentmeans includes -a pivotally mounted arm member having a plurality ofcontoured elements of different radii, and said'third adjustment meansincludes a floating link member coordinated with said first adjustmentmeansto control lateralmovement of the mast.

References Ctedin the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 720,074Schwanebeck Feb. 10, 1903 1,375,400 Ljungstrom Apr. 19, 192,1 1,5 67,090Thorbunn Dec. 29, 1925 1,856,804 Blackman vMay 3, v1932 2,353,007Blackman July 4, 1944 2,643,628 Sveinsson 'June 30, 1953 2,646,763Sveinsson July 28, 1953

1. IN A SAILBOAT HAVING AN UPRIGHT MAST MOVABLE FORE AND AFT AT ITS TOP,THE COMBINATION OF A BACK STAY, A JIB STAY AND A JIB DOWN HAUL, STRAINEQUALIZING MEANS BETWEEN SAID JIB STAY AND JIB DOWN HAUL, MEANS FORTIGHTENING THE JIB DOWN HAUL, AND MEANS INTERCONNECTING THE BACK STAYAND STRAIN EQUALIZING MEANS INCLUDING A LEVER TRANSMITTING THE STRAIN ONTHE BACK STAY TO THE EQUALIZING MEANS AND MEANS CONNECTED TO THE LEVERFOR MOVING THE LEVER TO SHIFT THE TOP OF THE MAST FORE AND AFT THROUGHCONCURRENT MOVEMENT OF THE STAYS BY THE LEVER.